Post navigation

10 peculiar things that inspire me to write…

About anything has the capacity of inspiring one to doing what they love to do. When I get asked “What inspires you to write”, I don’t always have a ready answer because inspirations don’t just flow through a single Channel. Inspiration is everywhere! The word itself stems from a Latin phrase “inspirare” which means to inflame, to blow or to breathe into. Since we are all created in the likeness of God, and God dwells in us, God is the ultimate inspiration–and such inspiration that comes from within can only be a direct influence of God. Yet, inspiration wouldn’t always come from within as sometimes we need to wander about the universe in search for it. Generally, finding your muse in anything is a very important part of achieving success. Hence, every writer is always propelled to heave off some inspiration, somehow, anyhow, some way…..even from the weirdest sources.

Welcome to my few selection of queer (and not so) things that inspire me to write!

1) My imagination

Imagination remains for me the greatest tool yet in drawing inspiration from. It’s the aptitude of forming a mental concept on people, objects, and places without the direct perception of the five senses. Since imagination is said to be the eye of the soul, your imaginations must run deep, in constant search of what to create. You only need just a little positive imagination to keep you stirring towards the direction of your goal. If you can imagine it, you can do it and if you can do it, you can be it!

2) My computer

Basically, I almost cannot do without my computer since it puts me in the mood to work! whether it’s the shuffling through saved drafts, surfing the net in search of something new to read, new ideas to conceive, my “little companion” serves as yet a source of inspiration to write. You know, those long hours of blank-staring endlessly at the screen in front of me like a loner, thinking of what to write has in time become some weird kind of support system for inspiration. Hence, I’d rather not start up my system if I’m not ready to work than waste the inspiration that may come with it.

3) FontsHow funny! But yeah, I cannot type with some fonts. I’d either crawl through the inspiration or lose it completely. Yet, some fonts trigger that inspiration; you cannot help but write, write and write more, smiling from back to back. I get this more with the slant fonts, perhaps because I write in slant too –Maybe.

4) A sharp mouthed penAlthough I would rather type than write, yet, traditionally pen to paper still weaves that inspiration for me neatly, especially when it’s a sharp-pointed pen! Some days I bury my fingers on the keyboard of my system and other days, scribbling with a sharp-pointed pen, just inspires me to write!

5) Solitude

Yes, I love the solitude! – Because inspiration thrives in solitude. For some people, an environment with noise and clamour invigorates their writing creativity but it doesn’t always tick off that inspiration for me. There are days when even the sight of one person is enough distraction. Hence, spending that alone time in deliberate isolation from everyone, physically and mentally, helps to squeeze out my writing muse since it gives me a better chance to think, reflect, and tap better from my environment to properly develop my writing ideas.

6) Art worksPictures generally have such mysterious way of inspiring one especially to write, perhaps, because the mind connects naturally and faster with visuals. It is one sure way of combating those annoying hiatus of writing. Being a lover of artworks has hugely inspired my writing process. I love to wander through the soul of an artwork and at the same time, try to discover what was in the mind of the artist behind the piece. Hence, I stumble on newer and better ideas that I could put to good use in writing.

7) Meaningful conversationsEver had those moments when you find yourself locked in an insightful conversation but your mind has long travelled to the realm of creativity and your fingers start to itch to write? –Yeah, that! Holding down (meaningful) conversations with people, keeps you up to date with their lives and the lives of those around, giving you a better viewpoint about life. Conversations that inspire are definitely a sure way of spurring up some creativity!

8) The shower

Whether it’s the singing in the shower or the quiet solitary bathes, the science behind finding one’s muse faster in the shower works like magic! It’s still for me one of the best way of exploring our inner. Most times, we do our best thinking in the shower and we just can’t explain it! Somewhere in between the soothing feel of the water trickling down our skin to the cluster of thoughts going on in the head in that peaceful moment, a brand new idea is mostly born! –And you almost cannot wait to jump out and develop this new found inspiration.

9) The Loo

Never under-estimate the value of a good poop! Just as in a shower, we could find our muse too just by spending a good amount of reflective time alone on the toilet seat. One poop after another, the inspiration just shuffles in, somehow, you never know! You must find your muse somehow, even if it’s in a loo!

10) A good sleep

……And when you cannot write, sleep! Just shut it all off and sleep! Sleep surely does inspire insight and it is one of the habits of truly creative people. Sometimes you just cannot and should not force out that inspiration. It’s somewhere there, somewhere you can’t reach by just stretching your thinking capability. Sleeping creates a calm atmosphere that lets you reach deep within your own thought. Sometimes, a good sleep lets that inspiration flow naturally!

These are just a selected few out of a wide range because inspiration for me is everywhere! Whatever it is, whenever it is, when the inspiration hits, just seize it and begin to write and if it doesn’t come, create it. When you sit tight, waiting for the perfect muse, it most likely will never come. If you’ve searched all out for one and it doesn’t come, do more of what sparks your creativity and sooner or later, you’ll get back on track.

Where do you get your own inspiration from?

“Don’t wait for moods. You accomplish nothing if you do that. Your mind must know it has got to get down to work”–Pearl S. Buck

Like this:

Related

18 thoughts on “10 peculiar things that inspire me to write…”

I was just thinking this morning about how everything and anything inspires me to write. Even the silliest of things can be turned into an article for me. I popped into twitter and your post hit me. Lovely write up Nonye. P.s: Number 9 holds a very dear spot in my heart 🙂

Oh I’m glad you found most relatable. At least then I know that am not weird lol. Tbh I don’t entirely remember what inspired this one, just a random thought I found fascinating…Just had to put it out there! 🙂

I can absolutely relate. Anything and everything can inspire one to write, from the weird sight wriggling upturned cockroach or ants at work to drama in buses and Lagos highways. Funny scenarios particularly make me tick.

Personal experience inspires too, the good and the bad. One feels the thrill in the former… the latter is essentially therapeutic.

Totally Agree! At every passing second, inspiration hovers. I like the distinction between the good and bad experiences that weild inspiration. The latter is not always therapeutic without personal effort to heal from the inspiration.

I get mine most often from the scripture. Though I find myself writing less than am inspired to speak. I suggest this source as a never ending source of inspiration just as our author made allusions to the inspiration from within as the un numbered source of her daily inspiration. its well. A refective write up indeed.